After five years of dormancy, the Border War series will be rekindled on the hardwood.
Missouri men’s basketball officially announced the “Showdown for Relief” against Kansas on Friday. The charity exhibition will be held at the Sprint Center in Kansas City on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. The story was first reported on Thursday by Carrington Harrison of 610 Sports Radio Kansas City.
Proceeds from the game will be donated to organizations providing aid to victims of recent natural disasters in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“The opportunity to use the platform of college basketball to help so many people in need is the most important aspect of this event,” Mizzou head coach Cuonzo Martin said in a press release.
The two schools have not met since Missouri departed the Big 12 Conference for the Southeastern Conference in 2012. The teams split two regular-season meetings that year.
In the past, Kansas head coach Bill Self has sent mixed signals on the the possibility of the two teams scheduling each other.
“I’m sure there’ll be a time where Kansas and Missouri will play again,” Self told the Kansas City Star in June. “I don’t know when that time will be.”
On Friday, he was a bit more clear, saying that game was on during a press conference prior to the official announcement.
Bill Self on exhibition vs. MU: “It’s gonna happen. Next Sunday.” pic.twitter.com/1L0yXhlNUC
— Tom Martin (@TomKCTV5) October 13, 2017
Kansas leads the all-time series at 172-95. The first meeting between the teams took place in 1907.
“The opportunity to make an impact on those suffering as result of the hurricanes, through the game of basketball, is a great opportunity for our program,” Self said in the press release.
Martin urged fans to attend and support the cause.
“Buy tickets to this game, but also please donate if you are able to, as there are people in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who need our support,” Martin said in the press release. “This scrimmage will not only be fun for fans of Mizzou and Kansas, but also for people all over the world.”
Missouri scheduled a similar charity exhibition in 2011 against Missouri Southern in Joplin, Missouri, to raise money for rebuilding efforts following a tornado earlier that spring.
Missouri will host Mizzou Madness at Mizzou Arena on Oct. 21 one hour after the completion of football’s 11 a.m. Homecoming matchup against Idaho. The event will feature contests and scrimmages along with events from Missouri’s women’s team.
_Edited by Sam Nelson | snelson@themaneater.com_
